Ship&#39;s ladder



April 15 1924. 1,490, 731

H. H. BRANN ET AL SHIP S LADDER Filed Jan. 23, 1925 /N VE N TORS.

HARRY H. BRANN. GEO/FEE H. TENEROOK ATTYS.

Patented Apr. ltd, 1924.

P 'l E FF HARRY H. BRANN AND GEORGE E. TEL BROOK, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, AS- SIGNORS TO'HAVISIDE COMPANY, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORA- FLION OF CALIFORNIA.

SHIPS LADDER.

Application filed January 23,1923. Serial No. 614A53.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HARRY H. BRANN and Gnoaor. H. TnNnRooK, citizens of the United States, residing at the city and I? county of San Francisco, and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Ships Ladders, of which the following is a specification.

llhis invention relates to ship ladders and w especially to improvements over the struc ture shown in our former Patent No. 1,430,281, entitled Ladder, and issued September 26, 1922.

Ship ladders as ordinarily constructed 15 are sectional in formation and more or less flexible to permit the ladders to be rolled or folded into as small a unit as possible for storage on board ships, etc, when not in use. Each section of a ladder of this character consists of two side sections carrying one or more rungs or steps and'the several sections are usually connected by a pair of parallel ropes or cables disposed one on each side. tween each set of side sections. Two lashes or seized sections are thus formed between each step or section of the ladder and are from certain points of view objectionable. First, because the connections are stifiened by the lashing to such an extent as to render folding of the ladder difiicult, and secondly, because the lashing is subjected to considerable strain when folded or bent and therefore often gives away.

The structure shown in our patent above referred to produces a flexible connection between the ladder sections and it also eliminates lashing, this result being brought about by alternately reeving the ropesfrom one side to another of the side sections and by passing the ropes or cables through each other between the side sections. struction while desirable when ordinary practice is considered, however, has certain faults which we have endeavored to overcome by the structure shown in the present application, that is, the cables shown in our patent above referred to pass through each other at the points of crossing between the side sections and as such form a slipping connection which has a tendency to chefs and thereby weaken the cable connections. The structure is also more or less objectionable from a manufacturing point of These cables are lashed or seized bei This con- View as it involves considerable time, labor and expense.

In the structure shown in the present apphcatlon the above objections have been overcome, first, by forming a slipping flexlble connection between the sections of the ladder in which chafing action has been reduced to a minimum, and secondly, by forming a slipping connection which is readily and quickly applied the time and labor involved 1s materially reduced, and similarly the expense of manufacture.v Other features will hereinafter appear.

A detail description of the present inventron will be given by referring to the accompanylng drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the ladder.

2 is a front view of the ladder.

Fig. 3 is a detail view of one of the chain links employed.

Fig. 4t is a plan view of a clamp which may be employed as a substitute for the link shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a detail view showing a modified form of construction.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, A indicates 1n general a ladder constructed of a series of side sections 22, 33 and 4-4, which are interspaced and connected by means of rungs or step like members 5. The particular outline of shape of the side sections employed is more or less immaterial, but said sections are preferably elliptical in shape as shown in side elevation. (See Figs. 1 and 5.) The opposite edges of the side sections are grooved from end to end as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. (See the indicating numeral 6.) The cable 7 is reeved about the side sections to flexibly connect the same as will hereinafter be described. In the present instance a single cable is employed, but two may be used if desired.

To accurately describe the method of connect the same, it may be stated that the central portion of the cable is first wound or looped about an upper thimble such as indicated at 9. The two cable ends are then passed through an ordinary chain link 10 reeving the cable about the side sections to are then again passed through a chain link such as indicated at 11. This operation is repeated until the lowermost side section 4 is reached and the cables are then passed through a link such as shown at 12 and then wound about a thimble 13 and fastened in any suitable manner. This method of reeving the side sections and connecting the cables at the points intermediate the same, as indicated at 11, etc., is of great importance as'it first of'all forms a flexible connection which permits the ladder sections to be folded one on top of the other to assume a compact unit when not in use; secondly, by connecting the cables between the intermediate sections by means of a link, it reduces chafing action to a minimum and as such increases the general life, strength and utility of the cables; third, it reduces manufacturing cost by eliminating time, labor and material, and last of all produces an exceedingly substantial, strong and flexible structure. i

As a substitute for the chain link shown in Fig. 3, a clamp such as illustrated in Fig. 4: may be employed. When this clamp is employed slipping action between the cables is prevented and chafing thereof is thus entirely eliminated, but a' certain amount of flexibility is thereby lost. "In other words it is simply a matter of choice whether a clamp such as illustrated in Fig. 4:, or an ordinary chain link, is employed as one form has-certain advantages over the other and vice versa.

By referring to Fig. 5 it will be noted that a slight modification is employed. In this instance a heavy metal band is secured to the opposite ends of the side sections as indicated at 14. The sections of the bands which-cover the cable grooves are indicated at 15 and in this manner form eyelets through which the cables may be reeved. This eliminates the use of either the link 11 or the clamp shown in Fig, 4, and it furthermore reinforces and strengthens the ends of the side sections. The cost of manufacture is slightly increased and it may therefore again be stated that it is more or less a matter of choice whether one form or I another is employed.

The ladders when completed may have.

lanyards attached to the upper thimbles as indicated at 16 and may be secured in any suitable manner, and as such serve the function of fastening the ladder to the rail or other support when the ladder is swung overboard. The lanyards may be of any suitable length as they only serve the function of fastening or securing the ladder when swung overboard, and as they are attached to the upper thimbles independently of the connecting cables 7, it 15 obvious that they do not form any part of the present invention. In fact the lanyards may be supplied with ladders, or they may be applied by the purchaser as desired.

In the present instance acomparatively short ladder, consisting of only three sections, has been shown, but it is obvious that the number of sections employed may be increased'or decreased to the length required. We similarly wish it understood that while certain features of thc'present invention are more or less specifically illustrated, that various changes in form and proportion may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims; also, that the materials and finish of the several parts employed may be such as the experience and judgment of the manufacturer may dictate or various uses may demand.

We also wish it understood that while the present application illustrates the cables Y as running parallel with the side sections of the ladder, it is possible to alternately cross the cables where they pass through the links 11; this form of alternatingthe cables being shown in our earlier patent already referred to.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is 1. A. ladder of the character described comprising sides, each composed of sections arranged relatively close together, rungs connecting opposite sections of opposite sides, a pair of spaced cables connecting the spaced sections of each side and a member d1sposed in each space on each slde between the spaced sections of each side and loosely embracing the respective cables in spaced relation and maintaining the sections in their spaced relation and permitting a limited longitudinal movement of each cable.

2. A ladder of the character described comprising sides each composed of sections spaced apart, rungs connecting opposite sections of opposite sides, a pair of spaced cables connecting the spaced sections of each side, and means loosely embracing the cables of each pair to draw the cables closer toward each other and maintain them in spaced relation and thereby maintain the sections in their spaced relation and yet permiiijla limited longitudinal movement of each ca e.

HARRY n. BRANN. 5 enoaen TENBROOK. 

